British Airways: 1.5 million Brits expected to travel to take a break from the February freeze

LONDON, 2015-2-11 — /Travel PR News/ — More than one and a half million people are expected to travel with British Airways this February half-term as sunshine-starved Brits take a break from the February freeze.

The busiest days for air travel are on Friday, February 13 and returning on Sunday, February 22, with over 120,000 people travelling on each date with the airline.

The most popular long-haul holiday hotspots for British Airways customers and families looking to get away and relax this half-term are Orlando, New York, Dubai, Los Angeles and Tampa. The top places for short-haul breaks are Rome, Barcelona, Tenerife, Malta and Fuerteventura.

Stephen Humphreys, British Airways’ head of UK&I sales and marketing, said: “The half-term holiday, whether it’s a long-haul flight to the sun or a quick city break to Europe, is becoming more popular each passing year, and 2015 is no exception.

“British Airways has plenty of places to choose from to escape the chilly winter weather so families can jet off and enjoy some quality time together.”

But before reaching their destination, many parents worry how their children will cope on a flight, with British Airways research* revealing that 60 per cent of parents feared they would be unable to keep their child occupied for longer than 30 minutes.

The airline conducted a social experiment, where scientist and TV personality Dr Robert Winston observed which toys kept youngsters most occupied during a flight.
Click here to watch the experiment

Top tips from British Airways to keep children and parents alike, happy include:

1. Carry you children’s favourite food with you in a sealed container – but remember British Airways does carry a selection of baby food on board and cabin crew can warm it up.
2. Download plenty of games for your children to play on your tablet or smartphone – you can also let them watch the dedicated kids TV channel on long-haul flights
3. Keep kids occupied and entertained by letting them play with the goodies in their Skyflyer activity packs (given to children on all flights over two hours long from Heathrow and Gatwick).
4. Pack socks for children to wear during the flight. They will always sleep better with warm feet.
5. Before you fly, pre-order a special meal, such as Kosher, Vegetarian, or Vegan, so you get served first. British Airways also has a feed children first policy so they’re happy eating their meal while you’re waiting for yours.
6. Pack less than you think you need – you can always buy items at your destination.
7. Put everyone’s swim wear in hand luggage so you can slip into it and head straight to the beach or the pool when you arrive. Pack a sarong if your beach towel is taking up precious space.
8. Make sure you’re all wearing loose fitting clothes to ensure you’re as comfortable as possible – especially during a long flight.
9. Keep everyone hydrated by drinking plenty of water and soft drinks and use moisturiser to keep skin supple.
10. Overcome your jetlag on arrival by synching your sleeping pattern with the new time zone as soon as you can once you board.

Families and other travellers can still take their pick from British Airways Holidays’ last-minute bargain breaks, including:

New York – British Airways offers three nights at the 3* Holiday Inn Midtown – 57th Street, from £649 per person, travelling on February 17. Includes return flights from Heathrow and accommodation. Book by April 14. For reservations visit ba.com/newyork or call 0844 493 0758

Fuerteventura – British Airways offers seven nights at the 3* Suite Hotel Castillo de Elba from £879 per person, travelling on February 14. Includes return flights from Gatwick and accommodation. For reservations visit ba.com/fuerteventura or call 0844 493 0758

Malta – British Airways offers five nights at the 4* Seabank Resort and Spa from £359 per person, travelling on February 17. Includes return flights from Gatwick and accommodation with all inclusive. For reservations visit ba.com/malta or call 0844 493 0758

New family-friendly short-haul routes launching later this year include services to Bodrum, Crete, Dalaman, Madeira, Rhodes and Seville.

Ends

For further information, please contact the British Airways press office on 020 8738 5100.

Notes to editors:
• Half term travel dates quoted are from February 13 to February 22, 2015
• Figures quoted are inbound and outbound statistics for travel to and from London
• Package deals with British Airways Holidays are based on two adults and two children travelling
• For further details on British Airways’ baggage policy please go to:http://www.britishairways.com/travel/baggag/public/en_gb?link=main_nav&gsLink=searchResults
• For further information on travelling with children please go to: http://www.britishairways.com/travel/child/public/en_gb?gsLink=searchResults
• *Research carried out for British Airways in 2014.

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